Train-stopping apparatus.



No. 852,633. 'PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

' H. G. SBDGWIGK.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IILED Jun 14,1900.

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V aiboznm d No. 852,633 i PATENTED MAY 7, 1907;

H. G. SEDGWIGK.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION mm mm: 14.1906.

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Witnesses WM -@M 779w PATENTED MAY v, 1907.

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glnvzutoz LET H. G. SEDGWIOK. TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14.. 1906.

wit" eases atfoznoqy HIRAM cis'nncwioK, or MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

. TRAIN-STOPPING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907. I

Annlication fil ed June 14,1906. Serial Ila 321,768.

To will iuhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IIRAM G. SEDewIcK, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and

- a resident of Mill Valley, county of Marin,

State of California, have invented. certain new and useful Improvementsin Train- Stopping Apparatus, of which the following is a full and clearspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of, one block showing thearrangement of contacts and roadbed circuits, the signal devices at thehead of the block being. omitted; Fig. 2 a similar view showing one endof the block and the signal devices connected thereto;

Fig. 3 a detail perspective View showing the motor circuits and camdevice for raising the semaphore to danger; Fig. 4 is a view showing .amodified arrangement of the signal devices.

The object of this invention is to rovide an extremely simple blocksystem 'or preventing collisions, means being provided particularlypointed out in the appended whereby each train as it proceeds preempts ablock or section of the roadway, preventing any train coming from eitherdirection from entering the block until it is free of trains, the meansfor preventing trains from entering the block while thus preempted beingontirely automatic and independent of all-signals and the actions of thetrain-crews, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

To the accomplishment of this object and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists of the parts and combination of partshereinafter fully described, and

claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a partof this specification, inwhich the same referencecharacters designatelike parts throughout the several views.

This invention has special reference to the train-stopping systemcovered by my copending application No. 288,914, filed November 24,1905.

One object of the present invention is to do away with thesetting-contacts and the restore-contacts and to use in iieu thereofshort insulated sections of the track rails, and another object is toprovide that system with automatic signal devices, as more fullyhereinafter set forth.

, This system like the system set forth in my aforesaid application isadapted to be used in connection with contacts or brushes carried by thelocomotive or motor car, the locomotive being provided with a localcircuit or ,circuits whereby when the brushes are bridged ormetallically connected by the stopping-contacts on the roadbed, thetrain pipe will be vented and the brakes applied or other suitabletrain-stopping devices put into operation. In the present system thebrake magnet is operated by means of a battery on the locomotive therebydoing away with numerous local batteries on the roadbed, and thelocomotive is provided with duplicate pairs of brushes on each side andwith means for cutting in one pair-of brushes and cutting out the otherpair when the engine is reversed, so that the locomotive brushes willcoact only with the contacts on the right side of the track looking inthe direction in which the train is moving and whether or not thelocomotive be going forward or backward.

In the present system the stopping-con tacts a are arranged, asformerly, at each,

end of the block and on opposite sides of the track and a short distanceahead of each pair of contacts is a pair of short rail sections 1)-which are adapted to be electrically connected by the wheels and axlesof the trains and which are adapted 'to' set the stopping-contacts. Therestore sections 0 of the rails are located between the stopping deviceson the setting rail sections 1), so that a train before entering a blockwill pass over successively the stopping-contacts, the restore railsections 0, and then the setting rails b, and on leaving a block a trainpasses over the rail sections in the reverse order. It willbe'understood that the restore rail sections 0 are arranged at the endof each block while the setting rail sections are adapted to operateonly as a train enters a block. It will be understood also that thestopping-contacts a at one end of the block-are adapted to cooperateonly with trains going in one direc-- tion while the contacts at theother end of the block are reversely arranged in that they I oo areadapted to co-operate only with trains going in the op posite direction.

At the beginning of each block is conven iently placed a relayor switchbox 11 preferably mounted on the usual telegraph poles adjacent to theroadbed and these boxes are connected by two line wires e, f. The re-.store rails c at the end of a blockandialso thestopping-contacts a andthe setting rails b. at the beginning of the same block are connected bywires to the adjacent relay box.

The stopping-contacts areconnected by wires g 'to a switch h which isadapted to be closed by a magnet j and to be opened by a magnet Ir. Whenthe switch It is closed the stopping-contacts are metallically connectedand when the switch is open these contacts are rendered inactive, as isobvious. The setting rail sections 1) are connected. by wires Z"to abattery m, one limb of the circuit passing through the magnet of aswitch n, this switch being preferably the ordinary telegraph sounderand having its lower contact connected to groundthrough a battery 0 andits upper contact connected to ground through a wire p. The armature.lever of this switch, which normally bears up against the upper contactis connected by a wire with switch r, this switch being preferably theordinary relay circuitcloser used in telegraphy. The wire passes throughthe magnets of this relay and becomes the line wire f, which leads tothe relay'box at the other end of the block and connects with thecompanion relay r in that box. The relay 7" when energized closes thecircuit t of the closing magnet j, the wires of this circuit be- '1ngconnected to the aforesaid battery m.

In each relay box (1 the above described mechanism is duplicated, theopening magnet 76 being connected by wires-u to a relay 1/- and abattery w, and one of thewires ac of this relay being connected throughthe armatitre lover of a switch y and a wire 2 to ground, while theother wire a of this relay goes out of the box and becomes the line wiree leading to the companion relaye at the other end of the block. Themagnet of the sounder switch y is connected in circuit with battery toby the wires b with' the restore rail sections 0. The lower contact ofeach of the switches y is connected to ground through a battery 0 Onelimb of each of the circuits b has .in-

serted in it a circuit breaker b consisting of a stationary contact anda movable contact mounted on the armature lever of the sounder switch sothat when the sounder switch is energized the circuit?) will be brokenat b.

, With an arrangement such as described, it

will be observed that if switch h is closed and the stopping-contactsthereby bridged, a locomotive u on approaching the beginning of ablockwil be automatically stopped as soon as itscontact brushes strikethe stopping-contacts. Should the stopping-contacts be inactivethe trainwill be permitted to pass along and bridge or connect all the.

rail-contacts in succession. The first pair. of wheels of the train thatstrikes the restore rail-contacts. cwiil close circuit 6 and draw downthe armatureof switch y thereby sendssaess I by energized but inasmuchas switch h is already open no disturbance of the arrangement of partsWlll occur; and as the current passes on through the relay 1)? in thebox at v the other end of the block the same result will take place asthe magnet circuit in that i box is alsoopen; this bridging oi the contacts therefore performs no useful function nor does it disarrange anyof the circuit-arrangements.

WVhen the wheels strike the contacts I) circuit Z is closed therebyenergizing the magnet in'switch n which draws down the armature leverthereof thus breaking con tact b and opening circuit 5 the result ofthis being to put out of action the restorecontacts 0 and therebyprevent the intermittent making and. breaking of the cir= cuit b thisrepeated making and breaking of circuit 1') being objectionable in thatit would soon wear out and disarrange the switch y by racking it. Thecontact-rails b are desirably made long enough to prevent the circuit Zbeing broken again until the entire train passes off these railsections.

The bridging of the contacts 1) sends a cur rent from. battery 0 throughwire (1 and. relay to line f, thus closing circuit t and energizingmagnet j from battery m, which closes. switch it and renders thestoppingcontacts (1 active; the current passes on through line f to therelay box at the other end of the block and there performs the sameoperations as in the first box, thereby closing the other switch it andrendering the stopping-contacts on the other side of theroadbed activeand thus guarding the. block against trains coming into it from theopposite direction.

At the end of the block the train passes over setting-contacts b butdoes not disarrange any of the circuits as the switches it are closedand the energizing of the magnet in switch a in this latter box simplyrepeats the operations which were performed when the train previouslypassed over the settingc'ontacts at the beginning of the same block.After the last pair of wheels have passed off these settingcontact railsthe restore-contacts c at the end of the block are permitted to act thusrestoring all the parts tonorrnal and rendering both stopping-contactsino ening switch h) and thence backward trough line eso as' t0 performthe same operations in the box at the other end of the. block.

It will thus be olserved that by the ar-- rangement of switches andcircuits above set forth 1 are enabled to employ as setting 1 motor.This half turn of the shaft raisesrod and restoring contacts insulatedsections of the railway rails, thereby avoiding the necessity ofemploying separate contacts on the roadbed along side the rails and alsoavoiding the use of additional pairs of brushes for performing thesetting and restoring. operations, the wheels of the trains serving asbrushes. I

I may employ any suitable audible or visual signal arrangements with thepresent system, but I prefer the signaling arrangement shown. In mypresent arrangement 1 mount on a suitable poleat each end of the block asemaphore 2, which when at danger, as shown in Fig. 2, which is itsnormal position, closes acircuit 3 by means of contacts 4, said circuitbeing connected, with the stopping-contacts at the same end of theblock, thereby rendering said contacts active so that a train cannotenter the block without first lowering the semaphore to safety and thusbreak the circuit 3. The semaphore is dropped to safety by means of apair of rail-contacts 5 insulated from the main rails andlocated asuitable distance from the stopping-contacts in the adjacent block.Connected to these signal contact rails is a circuit 6 included .inwhichis abattery 7 and a magnetS and which is adapted to be opened and closedat switch h in the relay box at the adjacent end of the block, asuitable contact 9 being arranged. to closev this circuit when saidswitch is open and the stopping-contacts are inactive. When said ,switchh is closed to render the stopping-contacts at the head of the block.active said circuit 6 is broken at 9 so that the passage of a train overcontacts 5 will not energize magnet 8. Should the switch hf be openand-the block thus be clear the energizing of magnet 8 will Withdrawvspring-actuated bolt 10 from under a rod 11 connected at its upper endto the semaphore, thus permitting the rod and the semaphore to drop tosafety and indicate to the engineer that the block is clear and at thesame time break circuit 3 and permit the train to pass into the block.

. suitably geared to an electric motor 14.

When the rod 1] drops it rests upon the cam 12 mounted upon a shaft 13which is.

As the train passes over the setting-contacts b and closes circuit Z" italso brings contacts 15 together and closes a circuit 1p which includesabattery 17, a pair of spring contacts 18 and the motor 14, thus causingthe motor to be brought into operation to rotatev cam 12 in thedirection of'the arrow. The contacts 18 rest upon andare electricallyconnected by a semi-circular contact 19 carried 11 and permitsspring-actuated bolt 10 to snap under it and thereby hold it up until itis again dropped by the energizing of the magnetS. When the cain is inthis position its enlarged or semi-circular part will be directly under"the semaphore rod, so that it will be impossible foran oncoming train todrop the semaphore to safety, thus providing an additional safeguardagainst an oncoming train entering the block. The parts remain in thisposition until the train reaches the end of the block when it passesover the re-- store-contacts at that end and opens both switches 71.thus opening circuit 16 and closing another motor circuit 20 at contacts21. This motor circuit includes a battery 22 ,'a pair of spring contacts23 similar to contacts 18, and the motor 14, and thus again rotates themotor in the same direction; The contact fingers 23 bear upon asemi-circular c1r-.

cuit-closing contact 24 similar to contact 19 and mounted insulatedly onthe'cam shaft, this contact 24 being so located that when contactfingers 18 drop ofi contact 19 these fingers 23 pass into their owncontact 24 thus completing motor circuit 20' at this point. It will thusbe observed that when circuit20 is thus closed at 24 and at 21 the motorwill be caused to make another half turn of shaft 13 and then be stoppedby the fingers 23dropping joif of-the other end of contact 24. Thishalf" turn of the cam is an idle one and is simply for the purpose ofcarrying the straight shoulder of the cam around to the position showninFig. 1 where the enlargled part of the cam will not interfere with t edropping oi the semaphore rod. This position of the cam is therefore thenormal or safety position, the cam being brought to this position everytime a train passes over the restore-contacts at the end of the block.It will be understood of course that the same operations take place atthe same instant at both ends of the block and that the operations takeplace in the reverse order when a train passes through the block in areverse direction, so that these signal devices provide an additionalsafe uard against the entrance of a train into a while that block ispreempted by another train goin in either direction thereon. These signa'devices of course will be placed at such .a distance ahead of eachblock as to enable a train to be stopped before it enters a preemptedblock, and, if desired, suitable lamp or other supplemental signals maybe arranged to indicate to the blocked traini crew in which directionthe train in the block is going, so that the blocked train-crews willknow whether to stop and back or to go block I tacts 26, inwhichjcircuit is included a suitable battery which is connected to themotor 14 and therebyoperates said motor to instantly raise the semaphoreto danger. In

this arrangement the circuits 16 and 20 are done away with but thesignal circuit 6 remains as before, so that if the block is preemptedthe circuit 6 cannot be closed and the s'emapl'iore cannot be dropped tosafety.

But if circuit 6 is-closed the semaphore will be dropped and willinstantly begin to rise through the motor, the motor continuin'gtorotate until the raising of the semaphore breaks the motor circuitzit-26, by'whieh time the semaphore rod 11 will have been elevated farenough to permit bolt to slip under the lower end of the rod and thushold up the semaphore. Iln this arrangement,

therefore, the semaphore is restored independently of the restorecontacts, and it 'will also be understood that in this arrangement thesignal Willbe'located close enough to the stopping-contacts, if circuit3 be im- 'ployed at all, to permit the train to pass over thestopping-contacts before the'circu it is closed again at 4.

It will be apparent to art that various mechanical embodiments of theinvention are possible and Ltherei'ore,

'do not wish to be limited to the'exact arrange ment and constructionshown. v

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent 18 1. In anapparatus orthe class set forth, a

block having stopping devices at each end thereof and at opposite sidesof the, track, a air of insulated settin'g rail-contacts at'each end ofthe block inside of the stop )i'ng devices, a pair of restorerail-contacts etween those skilled in the each pair of setting-contacts.and theadjacent stopping devices, the stopping devices being arranged toco-operatc with sto' ping means on the locomotive and the rai -contactsbeing adapted'ato be bridged by the wheels and axles of the'trains, andelectrical connections whereby the bridging of either pair ofsetting-contacts will setfb'oth the stopping, devices and the bridgingof either pair-6f restore-contacts will restore both the stoppingdevices to safety, substantially as set forth.

' 2. 1n an apparatus of t-he'class set forth, a!

block having stopping devices at each-end thereof and at opposite sidesof the track, a

means on the locomotive and iherar'.

pair of insulated setting rail contacts at each end of'the block insideof thestop ing devices, a pair of restore railcontactsetwecn each pairof'setting-contacts and the ad a-,

cent stopping devices, the stopping devices being arranged to .cooperatewith stopping wontacts being adapted to be bridged by the wheels andaxles ofthe trains, and electrical connections whereby the bridging ofeither pair of setting-contacts will set botlrthe.

stopping devices and the bridging of either pair of restore-"contactswill restore both thestopping devices to safety, these electricalconnections including means whereby the bridging of the restore-contactsat the head of the block will be prevented from setting the stoppingdevices. I I

35in an apparatus of the class set forth, a block having stoppingdevices at each end thereof and at opposite sides of the track, a

pair of insulated setting rail-contacts at each end of the block insideof the stopping devices,

apair of 'restore'raihcontacts etween each pair of setting-contacts andthe adj acent stopping devices, the stopping devices being arranged toco-operate with stopping'mea'ns on the locomotive and the rail-contactsbeing adapted to' be bridged by the wheels and axles of the trains; andelectrical connections whereby the bridging of either pair ofsettingcontacts will set both the stopping devices and the bridging ofeither pair of restore-con- In combination with a train-stopping systemembodying a block and electricallycontrolled means for preempting, theblock by the entrance, of a train therein, of a signal appliance at eachend of the block and means for maintaining it normally at danger, meansoutside of each'end of the block for bringing be restored to danger uponthe entrance of the train into the block and be locked at danger whilethe train is in the block and be left said signal to safety if. theblock be not preempted, and means whereby the signal will at danger whenthe train passes out of the block: i

6.- In anammratus of the class set forth, a block having stoppiiigdevices at each end thereof, a pair of insulated setting rail-contactsat each end of the block inside of the stopping devices, a pair ofrestore rail-pontacts, the stopping devices being arranged to co-operatewith stopping means on the locomotive and the rail-contacts beingadapted to be electrically bridged by the wheels and axles of thetrains, and electrical connections whereby the bridging of either pairof settingcontacts will setboth the stopping devices to danger and: thebringing of either pair-of restore-contacts willirestore boththestopping devices to safety, substantially-asset forth;

Its

7. In an apparatus of the class set forth, a block having stoppingdevices at each end thereof, a pair of insulated setting rail-contactsat each end of the block inside of the stopping devices, a pair ofrestore rail-contacts ahead of or outside each pair of settingcontacts,the stopping devices being arranged to cooperate with stopping means onthe locomotive and the rail-contacts being adapted to be bridged by theWheels and axles of the trains, and electrical connections where by thebridging of either pair of setting-contacts will set both thestoppingdevices to danger and the bridgingqof either pair of restore contacts--will restore both the stopping devices to safety, these electricalconnections inclu dihgmeans whereby the bridging of the restore-contactsat the head of the block will be prevented from setting the stoppingdevices. 1

8. In' combination with a train-stopping system embodying sto pingdevices and an electrical circuit theret br which is normally open, andmeans for rendering the stopping devices active when the block ispreempted,

block system embodying stopping devices on the roadbed and means wherebythese stoping devices are rendered active when the block is occupied, asignal and electrical means'operable by an approaching train andconnected to the stopping system whereby the signal is moved to safetyas a train enters the block if the block be unoccupied and be restoredto danger and held there while the block is occupied. y

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix mysignature in the presence of'twowitnesses this 7th day of April 1906.

. HIRAM G, SEDGWICK.

Witnesses:

S. H. ROBERTS, ERNEST J; Mom.

